Maybe you've taken some time off to get your life back together after the weekend storms knocked over half your backyard.
Maybe you've taken time off -- involuntarily -- because of the economy.
In Montgomery County, you're about to get paid to go on vacation.
Government workers and police officers are being offered 26 hours of additional paid leave. Firefighters will get 48 hours, the equivalent of six more days off.
Why the freebie? Morale.
That's according to Isaiah Leggett, Montgomery County Executive, who said he wanted to do something to lift the spirits of government workers in these times of tight budgets, furloughs, and frozen pay.
Leggett likes people to know that he listens to constituents. He personally addresses most of their complaints.
So perhaps the county's chief executive was moved by this government worker who wrote to him in May regarding furloughs:
"It seems clear to me that the message you are trying to send is that our hard work and dedication to our jobs is not valued or appreciated. How disappointing, since I, for one, give my 'all' to working with Montgomery County's special needs population."
Leggett said the city council does not need to check off on the move. By his accounting, paid leave for 8,700 employees won't cost the county a penny. Plus, making a county employee feel valued? Priceless.
